Container filling device

ABSTRACT

A nozzle assembly for filling containers having outer and inner members each having continuous seals for engagement with the surface of a container whereby the assembly can be held against a container by a vacuum induced in a chamber enclosed by the outer member and its seal while the container is filled through the inner member. A method of filling containers using the nozzle assembly is also described.

llnite States Patent 1 Brissenden 1451 Apr. 24, 1973 1 1 CONTAINER FILLING DEVICE [75] Inventor: Sidney James George Brissenden, [56] References cued Welwyn Garden City, England UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 Assigneer Imperial Chemical Industries 2,538,441 1 1951 Carter ..141 7 Limited, London, England 9 Examiner-H0uston Att0rneyCushman, Darby & Cushman 21 Appl. No.: 161,049

Foreign Application Priority Data July 15, 1970 Great Britain ..34,3l4/7O [1.8. CI. ..14l/1, 141/46, 141/383,

141/392, 285/96, 277/1 Int. Cl..., ..B65b 1/04, 1365b 3/04 Field of Search 141/1, 7, 59, 60,

[5 7] ABSTRACT I 1 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Y A x L\ Ix 1\ CONTAINER FILLING DEVICE This invention relates to a container filling device and in particular to a nozzle assembly that can hold itself in place while filling of the container with a fluid is in progress.

According to the present invention we provide a nozzle assembly for filling containers with a fluid comprismg:

a. an outer member provided with a continuous seal for engagement with the exterior surface of a container to be filled, which seal, when in engagement with said surface, forms an outer chamber enclosed by the exterior surface of the container, the seal and the outer member,

b. a port through the outer member to which a vacuum line may be attached whereby, when the seal is in engagement with the exterior surface of the container, a vacuum may be induced in the outer chamber whereby the nozzle assembly is held against the exterior surface ofthe container,

c. a hollow inner member carried by the outer member and provided with a continuous seal for engagement with the exterior surface of said container around an orifice therein, and

d. means for supplying the fluid with which it is desired to fill the container through the inner member to the orifice in the'exterior surface of the container.

In a preferred form of our nozzle assembly, when the assembly is held against the exterior surface of the container to be filled, a second chamber separated from the outer chamber by the continuous seal on the inner member, is formed inside the outer chamber.

It is often convenient, for ease of construction, to have the continuous seal of the outer member and/or the inner member situated in a peripheral manner round that member.

In another advantageous embodiment of our invention, the seal on the inner member which is to engage the exterior surface of the container is inwardly tapered whereby, when the nozzle assembly is held against the exterior surface of the container by the vacuum induced in the outer chamber and the fluid is supplied to the orifice through the inner member, the peripheral seal round the inner member is forced into tighter engagement with the exterior surface of the container.

The continuous seals of the inner and outer members may be made of any suitable material. However we prefer to use an elastomeric i.e. rubbery material.

The continuous seal of the inner member which may for example be a piece of rubber tubing may be conveniently stretched over an outstanding ridge of said inner member so that the free end of the seal may engage the exterior surface of the container. The inner member is preferably adjustably located in the outer member e.g., by virtue of being screw threaded therein. In cases where the exterior surface of the container to which the nozzle assembly is applied is flat, it is preferable that the inner member be positioned such that its seal protrudes slightly beyond the outer seal. This ensures that when the nozzle assembly contacts the container, the free end of the inner seal must deform before the first chamber can seal against the exterior surface of the container. The advantages of this will become apparent hereinafter. I

The inner member may sometimes be conveniently provided with a hollow extension, e.g., a spigot, which allows the nozzle assembly to be more readily correctly located with respect to the container. In cases where the container being filled is made of collapsible or flexible material, it is preferable that the hollow locating extension be provided with suitably placed openings, e.g., slots in its wall, so that in the event of the container walls collapsing, the entrance to the hollow extension and hence to the inner member is not blocked or sealed over.

It is often convenient that the inner member of our nozzle assembly be provided with a recess having an edge which occupies a position such that the inner peripheral seal may be sealed thereagains t during utilization of the nozzle. This provides a useful arrangement for achieving an evacuated outer chamber during the use of the nozzle assembly.

We also provide a method of introducing a fluid into a container by way of a nozzle carried by a support member, the container having an opening within a wall, comprising applying the nozzle to the aperture, the nozzle having sealing means to make a sealed connection with the wall about the aperture, applying to the container wall suction means carried by the support member and applying suction to secure the container to the support member, and introducing fluid into the vessel while the vessel is so secured.

In a preferred method of filling a container using the method of our invention, the container to be filled is first evacuated and then filled with fluid as hereinbefore described. The vacuum is conveniently applied by way of the nozzle.

We further provide a method for the production of a fluid filled container which comprises:

a. placing a nozzle assembly as hereinbefore defined against the exterior surface of the container to be filled with the seals engaging the surface and the seal round the inner member surrounding an orifice in the container surface,

b. applying a vacuum to the port in the outer member so as to induce a vacuum in the outer chamber and thereby hold the nozzle assembly in place,

c. supplying the fluid, with which it is desired to introduce into the container, through the inner member to the orifice, and, thereafter,

d. sealing a part of the container from the part of the container which includes the orifice and e. releasing the vacuum in the outer chamber thereby enabling the nozzle assembly to be removed from the container surface.

The invention is illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein FIG. 1 is a cross-section of a nozzle assembly engaging with the exterior surface of a container.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 1.

In this embodiment the body of the nozzle assembly consists of an outer member 1. to which is attached a circular rubber seal 2.

A banjo-union 3, to which a vacuum line (not shown) is attached, is tapped into the outer member 1 so that a vacuum can be applied to the chamber 4 formed when the nozzle assembly is placed against the seal 2 in engagement with the surface 5.

Screw threaded into the outer member I is a hollow inner member 6 which has a conical ridge 7 extending round its circumference over which is stretched a short length of stout rubber tubing 8, to form a peripheral seal 9 round the inner member so that the free end of the tubing can engage with the exterior surface of the container so as to form a second chamber 10 separate from chamber 4. The free end of the tubing 8 is positioned round an orifice 11 in the surface 5 of the container and, preferably a spigot 12 formed as an extension of the inner member 6, is provided to protrude into orifice 11 to assist in location of the assembly with regard to the container. The end of the spigot 12 is preferably provided with longitudinal slots 13, for reasons described hereinafter.

By virtue of the conical ridge 7 on inner member 6, the rubber tube 8 is stretched radially at points between the ends of the tube so that the seal 9 is inclined towards the orifice 11. It will be appreciated that the ridge 7 may be otherwise shaped so as to give an inclined seal. The perimeter of the ridge is preferably rounded to avoid cutting the tubing 8. As mentioned hereinbefore, inner member 6 is screw threaded into outer member 1 and this provides a degree of adjustment of the relative positions of the spigot 12 and the seal 9 with regard to peripheral seal 2. If the container surface 5 is flat, we prefer that the inner member 6 is positioned so that the peripheral seal 9 protrudes slightly beyond the seal 2 so that on contacting the nozzle assembly with surface 5, the peripheral seal 9 contacts the surface 5 before seal 2 so that the free end of the tubing 8 has to deform before chamber 4 can seal against surface 5.

Adjustment of the position of inner member 6 in relation to outer member 1 enables an airtight seal to be made by nipping the rubber tube 8 between a corner 14 of a recess machined in outer member 1 and the tapered surface 15 of the ridge 7.

Brazed to the top of outer member 1 and communicating with hollow inner member 6 is the body portion 16 of a banjo-union via which the fluid to fill the container can be supplied.

In operation the nozzle assembly is placed on the exterior surface 5 ofa container with spigot 12 protruding through an orifice 11 therein and the free end of seal 9 engaging with surface 5. The assembly is pressed against the surface until the free end of seal 9 deforms sufficiently to allow seal 2 to seal against surface 5 and chamber 4 is then evacuated. The creation ofa vacuum in chamber 4 tends to stretch seal 9 radially away from the orifice 11 and thus seal 9 forms a tighter seal. Likewise application of pressure to chamber 10, e.g., when pumping fluid into the container, has a similar effect.

In some cases it may be desirable to evacuate the container before filling it so as to ensure complete filling, particularly with containers of awkward shapes, and in such a case vacuum can be applied via inner member 6 and banjo-union 16 before filling. While the inclined seal 9 is less effective when vacuum is applied to inner member 6, this is of little importance since a vacuum is already applied to chamber 4.

When evacuating thin containers made ofa relatively flexible material, there is a tendency for the opposite sides ofthe container to collapse and seal together over orifice 11. The protrusion of spigot 12 into the container prevents the opposite sides sealing together and the slots 13 in the end of spigot 12 prevent the opposite side of the container sealing the orifice in spigot 12. Where the container is not evacuated prior to filling or where there is no danger of the opposite sides of the container collapsing on application of a vacuum to the interior of the container, the slots 13 and, where location of the assembly is not a problem, spigot 12 can be omitted.

It will be appreciated that so long as the vacuum applied to chamber 4 is sufficiently hard and the area encompassed by peripheral seal 2 sufficiently large, the container can be filled under pressure.

Simple calculation based on the degree of vacuum and the relative areas of surface 5 enclosed by the chambers 4 and 10 will give the theoretical maximum pressure that can be applied to the fluid when the container is filled.

The nozzle assembly is particularly useful for filling containers which have closely spaced deformable walls. In one convenient method for making such fluid filled containers, after the fluid has been supplied to the container, a part of the container is sealed from the part including the orifice by creating a seam weld between the walls, and, after releasing the vacuum and removing the nozzle assembly from the container surface, the wall material is severed along the line of the weld.

The nozzle assembly is of particular utility in the manufacture ofliquid filled press cushion plates such as those described in our Belgian Pat. No. 741,462. In that patent we described, with reference to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings of that specification, a method of mak ing liquid filled plates wherein a union is brazed over a hole in one corner of a thin sheet of metal and two thin flat sheets of metal, e.g., mild steel are seam welded face to face round their periphery to form an enclosure to which a vacuum and then the liquid filling material are applied via a threaded union brazed over a hole in one corner of the sheet. After filling the enclosure, a further seam weld is made to seal a rectangular enclosure to isolate it from the portion bearing the threaded union. The above method of making the plates suffers from the disadvantage of requiring fastening of a union in an air and liquid tight manner to one of the sheets from which the cushion plate is made prior to the seam welding process.

By replacing the union by a nozzle assembly as described hereinbefore, this disadvantage is overcome. When making press cushion plates using the nozzle assembly of the invention, the nozzle assembly is maintained in position after filling the plate until completion of the final seam weld to isolate the rectangular enclosure of the cushion plate from the portion having the orifice in one of the sheets.

Iclaim:

l. A nozzle assembly for filling containers with a fluid comprising:

outer an olter member provided with a continuous seal for engagement with the exterior surface of a container to be filled, which seal, when in engagement with said surface, forms an outer chamber enclosed by the exterior surface of the container, the seal and the outer member,

b. a port through the outer member to which a vacuum line may be attached whereby, when the seal is in engagement with the exterior surface of the container, a vacuum may be induced in the outer chamber whereby the nozzle assembly is held against the exterior surface of the container,

c. a hollow inner member carried by the outer member and provided with a continuous seal for engagement with the exterior surface of said container around an orifice therein, and

d. means for supplying the fluid with which it is desired to fill the container through the inner member to the orifice in the exterior surface of the container.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the inner member with its seal lies within the seal of the outer member whereby, when the nozzle assembly is held against the exterior surface of the container, a second chamber, separated from the outer chamber by the continuous seal of the inner member, is formed inside the outer chamber.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the seal on the inner member which is to engage the exterior surface of the container is inwardly tapered whereby, when the nozzle assembly is held against the exterior surface of the container by the vacuum induced in the outer chamber and the fluid is supplied to the orifice through the inner member, the peripheral seal round the inner member is forced into tighter engagement with the exterior surface of the container.

4. A nozzle assembly according to claim 1 wherein the inner member is adjustably located in the outer member.

5. A nozzle assembly according to claim 1 wherein the inner seal protrudes beyond the outer seal.

6. A nozzle assembly according to claim 1 wherein said inner member is provided with a hollow locating extension which protrudes into the orifice of said container and facilitates the location of the nozzle assembly with regard to the container.

7. A method of introducing a fluid into a container by way of a nozzle carried by a support member, the container having an orifice within a wall, comprising applying the nozzle to the orifice, the nozzle having sealing means to make a sealed connection with the wall about the aperture, applying to the container wall suction means carried by the support member and applying suction to secure the container to the support member, and introducing fluid into the vessel while the vessel is so secured.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the container to be filled is evacuated and then filled with fluid.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the container is evacuated by way of the nozzle before the fluid is introduced.

10. A method according to claim 8 comprising:

a. placing a nozzle assembly, comprising an outer member provided with an outer continuous seal for engagement with the exterior surface of the container and an inner member carried by the outer member and provided with a continuous seal for engagement with the exterior surface around the orifice, against the exterior surface of the container with the seals engaging the surface so as to form an outer chamber enclosed by the exterior surface of the container, the outer seal and the outer member with the seal round the inner member surrounding the orifice in the container,

b. applying a vacuum to a port in the outer member so as to induce a vacuum in the outer chamber and thereby hold the nozzle assembly in place,

0. supplying the fluid, with which it is desired to introduce into the container, through means carried by the inner member to the orifice, and, thereafter,

. sealing a part of the container from the part of the container which includes the orifice and e. releasing the vacuum in the outer chamber thereby enabling the nozzle assembly to be removed from the container surface.

11. A method according to claim 8 for filling a container having closely spaced deformable walls wherein after supplying the fluid, a part of the container is sealed from the part including the orifice by creating a seam weld between the walls, and, after releasing the vacuum and removing the nozzle assembly from the container surface, the wall material is severed along the line of the weld. 

1. A nozzle assembly for filling containers with a fluid comprising: a. an outer member provided with a continuous seal for engagement with the exterior surface of a container to be filled, which seal, when in engagement with said surface, forms an outer chamber enclosed by the exterior surface of the container, the seal and the outer member, b. a port through the outer member to which a vacuum line may be attached whereby, when the seal is in engagement with the exterior surface of the container, a vacuum may be induced in the outer chamber whereby the nozzle assembly is held against the exterior surface of the container, c. a hollow inner member carried by the outer member and provided with a continuous seal for engagement with the exterior surface of said container around an orifice therein, and d. means for supplying the fluid with which it is desired to fill the container through the inner member to the orifice in the exterior surface of the container.
 2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the inner member with its seal lies within the seal of the outer member whereby, when the nozzle assembly is held against the exterior surface of the container, a second chamber, separated from the outer chamber by the continuous seal of the inner member, is formed inside the outer chamber.
 3. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the seal on the inner member which is to engage the exterior surface of the container is inwardly tapered whereby, when the nozzle assembly is held against the exterior surface of the container by the vacuum induced in the outer chamber and the fluid is supplied to the orifice through the inner member, the peripheral seal round the inner member is forced into tighter engagement with the exterior surface of the container.
 4. A nozzle assembly according to claim 1 wherein the inner member is adjustably located in the outer member.
 5. A nozzle assembly according to claim 1 wherein the inner seal protrudes beyond the outer seal.
 6. A nozzle assembly according to claim 1 wherein said inner member is provided with a hollow locating extension which protrudes into the orifice of said container and facilitates the location of the nozzle assembly with regard to the container.
 7. A method of introducing a fluid into a container by way of a nozzle carried by a support member, the container having an orifice within a wall, comprising applying the nozzle to the orifice, the nozzle having sealing means to make a sealed connection with the wall about the aperture, applying to the container wall suction means carried by the support member and applying suction to secure the container to the support member, and introducing fluid into the vessel while the vessel is so secured.
 8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the container to be filled is evacuated and then filled with fluid.
 9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the container is evacuated by way of the nozzle before the fluid is introduced.
 10. A method according to claim 8 comprising: a. placing a nozzle assembly, comprising an outer member provided with an outer continuous seal for engagement with the exterior surface of the container and an inner member carried by the outer member and provided with a continuous seal for engagement with the exterior surface around the orifice, against the exterior surface of the container with the seals engaging the surface so as to form an outer chamber enclosed by the exterior surface of the container, the outer seal and the outer member with the seal round the inner member surrounding the orifice in the container, b. applying a vacuum to a port in the outer member so as to induce a vacuum in the outer chamber and thereby hold the nozzle assembly in place, c. supplying the fluid, with which it is desired to introduce into the container, through means carried by the inner member to the orifice, and, thereafter, d. sealing a part of the container from the part of the container which includes the orifice and e. releasing the vacuum in the outer chamber thereby enabling the nozzle a-sembly to be removed from the container surface.
 11. A method according to claim 8 for filling a container having closely spaced deformable walls wherein after supplying the fluid, a part of the container is sealed from the part including the orifice by creating a seam weld between the walls, and, after releasing the vacuum and removing the nozzle assembly from the container surface, the wall material is severed along the line of the weld. 